Gripper for cable railways



\ 2 sheets-sheet 1'.

, (No Model.) A. A. SHOBB & WfEMB-LEY'.

GRIPPER FOR CABLE RAILWAIYS. Nm3-79,993. Patented Mafr, 27, 1,888.

- N, PETERS. Pnommhagnpher, wnmngmn. D. c

` 3140214, to 'za UNITED YSTATES PATENT GFFICE.

ABRAHAM A. SHOBE AND WILLIAM EMBLEY, OF JERSEYVILLE, ILLINOIS.

GRIPPER FOR CABLE RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION 'forming part of Letters Patent blo. 379,993, dated March 27, 1888.

yAppnmtimimea April 23, issn serial No. 235.841. No model.) v

Railways; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description ofthe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

Our invention relates to an improvement in grippers for cable railways; and it consists in providing new and improved mechanism for lifting the cable, however great the slack maybe, and consequent deflection between the supporting carrier-wheels, to a position within reach of the clampingfjaws, so that the cable may be readily cast off'and taken up as required. v

With this end in view our invention consists, essentially, in combining with the movable gri pping-j aws and the mechanism by which the latter are actuated an auxiliary arm, the office of which is to lift the cable and conduct it into the channel of the lower gripping-jaw.

In the drawings, Figure lisa side elevation of the gripper, showingthe hand-lever mechanism by which it is operated. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same, taken in the line a: x, Fig. 1, the hand-lever being omitted; and Fig. 3 isa back view, upon an enlarged scale, of the lower part of what is shown in Fig. 1.

In the drawings, A represents a part of the frame of the bottom of the car, .to which are secured by angle-irons a, as shown, verticallydepending bars B, connected together by the angle-irons@ and thefixed grip-jaw b. Adapted to slide vertically between the bars B, and actuated by a link and latch-lever, as shown, is a bar, C, connected by a link, c, Fig. 2, with a pair of movable grip-jaws, d, which are secured upon an arbor, e, the latter j ournaled in bearings in each end of the fixed jaw. Journaled upon the central part of the arbor e, and

.adapted to vibrate freely thereon, is afcurved reach below the lowest point ever attained by the slack of the cable between the carrierwheels. At the back of said auxiliary arm is a bar, g, each end of which is secured in one ot' the movable jaws, and against which the back of the auxiliary arm rests, as shown in Fig. 3.

The several parts of our 4device being constructed and combi ned as above described, and shown in the drawings, its operation is as follows: When it is desired to pick up and clamp the cable, the latch-lever is moved as indicated by the arrow. This thrusts the bar C downward, and consequently the grip-j aw d upward, and with it the lifting-army, as indicated by the arrow. Asthe lifting-arm approaches the horizontal position, the cable is conducted into the channel h of the movable jaw d, by which it is further lifted to the channel in the fixed jaw Z, and there firmly clamped for lthe pro-4 pulsion of the car. Y

It is obvious that this device may be applied to either side of the bars B, or to both sides, if so required, by the simple duplication of the parts shown, one auxiliary arm remaining in a pendulous position while the other is in operation. y

Having fully described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat-A ent, is v In a gripping device for cable railways, the combination, with a pair of movable gripjaws adapted to vibrate upon an arbor, of an auxiliary arm or cablelifter actuated by a bar located atthe back thereof, each end of which is secured in one of the movable jaws. all constructed and adapted` to operate substantially as and for the'purpose set forth. v

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto setv our hands this 11th day of April, 1887.

ABRAHAM A. SHOBE. WILLIAM EMBLEY. Witnesses:

J. W. MoEvERs, R. L. VAN DENBURG. 

